Microsoft admits to Year 2000 glitch

The Year 2000 update is to be made widely available, downloadable from the Web site or on CD from the Microsoft Year 2000 hotline on 0870 333 2000.

The glitch could result in the incorrect display of dates in 2000 in some cases, although Microsoft stress it poses no risk of data loss and claim customers face "an extremely small chance of ever running into these issues" in normal, daily computer use.

Still the problem will cause embarrassment to Microsoft, who claimed Windows 98 was Y2K problem free. David Weeks, Windows product manager at Microsoft said: "Microsoft understands the critical nature of the year 2000 issue and is committed to diligently testing its products and promptly providing solutions if issues do arise."